While I am being treated for this nipple yeast I have been pumping and feeding the baby from a bottle for about every other feeding (because I am so sore). yesterday and today I was able to nurse him for all his feedings because I am feeling better but he keeps unlatching despite otherwise acting hungry and being so fussy. Finally my husband gave him a bottle and he sucked it down like he had been starving for days! I am so upset - is this the "nipple confusion" everybody talks about? I am not so sure what to do - I don't want the poor guy to go hungry but neither do I want to pump and bottle feed. Maybe over-reacting since it has just been about a day and half...

I was told by the lactation consultant that the repeated delatching may be due to the yeast infection in their mouths, making them uncomfortable. It is probably much easier to drink from the bottle because of this. If that is going on, the good news is it is temporary. Is baby getting oral nystatin to help with the yeast infection?

I go back and forth between sides at random (generally I try to give him whichever one he didn't have at the previous feeding, but I don't keep good track of it so even that's inconsistent) so it's not always the left or right. It could be that it just goes faster at first though... That makes sense since presumably if you've nursed on that side, you've already had a let down.

Annasrobbie-- I think some babies just like to practice latching/unlatching when little. My older son would only ever latch once, no matter how bad his latch was. He'd hook on like it was the end of the world and suck like he was dying to whatever he ended up attached to. My younger son would only nurse if he got the perfect latch... Even a little off and he'd detach himself and try again. Sometimes it seemed like it would take him forever to get going.

I think that phase lasted a couple of weeks... He did get over it eventually and now generally only has to latch on once. Just wanted to add my anecdote to say, it's not necessarily indicative of a big problem or nipple confusion!

We play a game now where I sort of twitch my nipple like an exotic dancer and he laughs hysterically, then throws himself onto the boob. I love it. Finally someone who appreciates my sense of humor (and my boobs too).

c&s, I had the same thing happen with pumping yesterday! I had Scarlett at school with me in the morning and nursed her on the left side before my partner picked her up. Then when I pumped a couple hours later, I got 5 oz from the left and 3 from the right. I think my left may produce a little more in general, which I've always thought was weird since my right boob is the bigger one!

I had school from 8 am to 9 pm yesterday and I was so exhausted when I got home, and Scarlett was already fed and asleep, that I just collapsed in bed without pumping. I hadn't pumped since 5:30 and I woke up at 1 am feeling like I was going to explode, and had to pump in the middle of the freakin night while Scarlett had the best night of sleep of her life! I've never let my boobs go that long before. Maybe they'll start to get the message to calm down a little.

I cannot get Carlos latched without popping my whole boob out, hoisting it up, getting him on, and then adjusting his lips so they aren't rolled in. I have super discreet nursing clothes which can hide my boob once he is latched, but I am very uncomfortable nursing in public because of this issue. When we was younger, I could use a nursing cover, but now he yanks on it every which way so it is totally useless. I am considering taking him on an international flight to Costa Rica but am super anxious about this boob popping out situation. I really don't want strangers seeing my boob. If I do make this trip, one way my husband would be with me, so he could help block the view, but the other way it would just be me and Carlos, so the stranger I would sit next too would have lots of boob vision that I just can't wrap my mind around in any comfortable way. Basically, because of this, I am pretty sure I am not going to fly with the baby to Costa Rica to meet his grandparents. There are other concerns too, but I think this is my biggest hold up. His grandparents are older (70's) and it would be so nice if he could see them at some point. Are there any magic solutions that might make me change my mind?

Kimba, when the Emperor was a baby I often nursed him on the bus and had a similar situation... Kinda awkward to pull your boob out while literally sitting next to a stranger. I always pick a window seat so what I would often do would be nurse him on the boob closer to the window and put my backpack on my knee on the other side. It's not a perfect solution but it made me feel like someone'd really have to be craning his/her neck to see what was going on over there.

annasrobbie, we had epic yeast issues, and for my son it made him pop on and off. it sucked. What treatment are you doing? I found that my son hated the taste of nystatin and dr. newman's apno cream, so i had to wipe myself down before he nursed. He didn't like the gentian violet, but it seemed to be the quickest, most foolproof solution (we had 3 bouts with yeast in his first year) and it felt drying and i felt less sensitive within a few hours.

Kimba, i also had pretty good luck when i flew alone with my son- the airlines often seated me as a special needs, and generally i got good seats for privacy- one time no seats ahead of me, once in the back with empty seats around me, and otherwise window seats. If you can pick a seat when you get your flight that might help, or ask for help/ preferred seating when you check in if you are going to be without your husband. Also, i recommend nursing during takeoff/landing. it helps them not get sore ears from the altitude changes. I flew with my son just before he turned two and he didn't nurse and was not a happy camper.

annasrobbie, we had the pop on/off since Freya was born, and one of the LC's we saw suggested it was from fast flow/overactive letdown. Reading about it on KellyMom and talking with the LLL folks, it seems that it often becomes more of an issue with babies somewhere around 5-8 weeks.

kimba, we do something similar wrt to the pop out/hoisting bit (lovely imagery, eh). Are you able to do the popping out part under yoru shirt/blouse? I have this sort of way of pulling up the top and hoisting at the same time which keeps things pretty covered since Freya's hungry head helps too. It's sorta holding boob with the fingers underneath and using your thumb for the shirt on top, then you can adjust the shirt as needed. Oi....it sounds complicated, but it's pretty easy. Freya's trick lately is using the free hand (or her foot!) to move my shirt away from the boob on which she's not feeding. Geez, kid.

On my first flight I had a cover and a window seat and my husband to protect me. I was still nervous. Then when she got in the air, she wouldn't tolerate the cover. I was just like, oh well! No one paid me and my enormous boob any attention.

On my flight home, the airline screwed up our seats and I had to take an aisle seat. Mortifying! I was so self-conscious about my giant enormous boob, but again, no one batted an eye.

I have flown several times since and I just don't care anymore. The seats are pretty private and everyone is engrossed in their own business. Honestly, I think people are relieved whenever you whip a boob out because that quiets the baby.

Breastfeeding is just a frustrating activity recently. Baby fed really well overnight and this morning without a fuss. Then this afternoon latched on for maybe one minute before full on screaming at the top of his lungs whenever I tried to relatch him. I finally got out a bottle for him and he took about 2 oz - that is less then his usual so maybe he just wasn't that hungry (but it had been about 3 hours since his last feeding). I keep checking his mouth and see no signs of yeast so I don't think that is an issue for him. We seemed to start having issues when the whole engorgement issue improved around 5 weeks - he seems to hate a soft booby!!! Overnight when I get super full and the breast is about to BURST he is as happy as a clam to nurse. I spoke on the phone to a LC who suggested keeping bottles away from him for awhile, but I go back to work soon so I don't really see the point in that...

I don't know if this is any help... but Will takes bottles just fine. I went back to work at 6 weeks, then finished the school year at 4 months. While I was off this summer, my husband gave him maybe 1 bottle/week. I had two random in-service days and he was happy to go 7+ hours without a bottle. He didn't refuse them, he just seemed happy to wait for my return. Now that school started again (at 7 months), he would still prefer boob over bottle, but he's fine with them when needed. So.... what I mean to say is a short break from bottles isn't such a bad idea if that's what LC recommends. Good luck!

Thanks Kdub. This is probably just a phase he is going through - it is hard not to overreact when you are trying to feed your child, you know he is hungry, and he refuses but I know he won't starve to death even if he misses a meal (since he weighs 15 lbs at 7 weeks!) Also I think I was taking it a bit as a personal insult that he was refusing my breast which I realize is just ridiculous. So we are going to try to keep the bottles away from him for awhile - it will be so nice not to have to be constantly sterilizing them anyway!

I have flown with Grey several times, we are flying again in a couple weeks. Yes to the feeding during take off and landing! I usually wear a tank top with a shirt over it so only a little boob has to come out and my stomach isn't showing. Honestly I think I am more embarrassed about my stomach than people seeing my boob. And grey, who is kind of a wild man, always gets compliments from all the passengers on how amazing he is because the boob keeps him relaxed. It is getting much, much harder now that he is moving. He cannot stand sitting still on the plane.

Why do doctors (NHS doctors) prescribe medicine that the NHS site to which I'm directed says should not be taken by breastfeeding mothers. This doctor swore up and down that it was safe. I wanted to find info about milk supply, and every place I see says not to take it at all. Grr.

Walter seems to have thrush? He's almost two, never had it before, only nursing 3-4 times a day. He has white spots on his tongue and inside his lips, but they're pinpricks, not these plaque things I see on the internet. His pediatrician prescribed nystatin, and the pharmacist recommended I put it on my nipples. I don't have any symptoms, so fingers crossed. I'm tossing out all his plastic sippy and staw cups; this is a good opportunity to bite the bullet and switch to regular cups.

Pumping at work (well, school) sucks. Yesterday I was all stressed out by starting at a new hospital which I think is what caused me to not be able to get nearly as much out as usual, and by my last pumping break of the day I was engorged but the pump was doing nothing, so I was bending forward trying not to get all wet while I hand-milked myself to relieve the pressure. I hate having to ask for pumping breaks so often. It's not like anyone's going to get mad at me or say no, but it just sucks to have to ask and then be worried that I'm taking too long. I know I need to relax and not feel rushed but I'm just not there yet.

welp folks I am paying the price for not being vigilant enough about my water/vitamin intake - the past few days I've been really dizzy both at night in bed and in the morning. (Seriously, haven't had the spins this bad since years ago when I decided to drink most of a bottle of Jager.) My buddy Dr. Google suggests dehydration and possible anemia. Just when I thought my body has adjusted to being a person's source of food/water...

Pumping at work (well, school) sucks. Yesterday I was all stressed out by starting at a new hospital which I think is what caused me to not be able to get nearly as much out as usual, and by my last pumping break of the day I was engorged but the pump was doing nothing, so I was bending forward trying not to get all wet while I hand-milked myself to relieve the pressure. I hate having to ask for pumping breaks so often. It's not like anyone's going to get mad at me or say no, but it just sucks to have to ask and then be worried that I'm taking too long. I know I need to relax and not feel rushed but I'm just not there yet.

Hang in there buddy... It does really suck at first but it will probably seem 100% less awkward in a week or two.

I've been pushing to really get the boobs totally empty during the 2 times on campus I can pump, even if it means spending another 5 minutes doing it... Seems like it's working to get me through my 3 hour lecture without needing to do hand expression over the toilet, which is the worst thing ever.

Leela is sick, so she has been sleeping in hour intervals, and of course can only sleep with my nipple in her mouth. And when she falls asleep, she bites it. Hard. So every hour goes like this: sniffle, sniffle, cry, cry, suck, suck, suck, bite, bite, bite, sleep. Sniffle sniffle sniffle.

My breasts hurt.

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.